For maximum flexibility, the patch that restricts the connections to private or local networks would be selectable at runtime with a command line switch.
Then you can as well keep it outside.
Those who desperately want to open Telnet would quickly find "Howto-shoot-your-feet"-Tutorials for putting the command line switch.
Simply no excuse/reason exists for opening telnet to the outside world.
Tests on honeypots have proven that it only takes minute(s) before attacks come in.
The patch is addressed at those users that are reluctant to learn how to create a key pair for ssh, as opening telnet is sooooo much easier.
Tutorials on how to manually downgrade busybox (Without f*cking up the box on the way) would be harder than those for key pair creation for ssh.
I really hoped that OpenPLi could skip the endless discussion in such an obvious case.